Sedum plant named ‘Garbro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sedum  plant named ‘Garbro’, characterized by its upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit; olive green-colored leaves; and red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Sedum telephium×Sedum spectabile.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Garbro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedumplant, botanically known as Sedum telephium×Sedum spectabile, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Garbro’.

The new Sedum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new compact Sedum cultivars with uniform growthhabit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Sedum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorduring the summer of 2001 of the Sedum telephium cultivar Munstead DarkRed, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Sedumspectabile cultivar Carmen, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Sedum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Gensingen,Germany during the summer of 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings atBonsall, Calif., since Jul. 1, 2000, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Sedum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Garbro have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Garbro’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Garbro’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Olive green-colored leaves.    -   4. Red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of the female parent,the cultivar Munstead Dark Red. Plants of the new Sedum differ fromplants of the cultivar Munstead Dark Red in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum are more freely branching than plants        of the cultivar Munstead Dark Red.    -   2. Plants of the new Sedum have lighter colored foliage than        plants of the cultivar Munstead Dark Red.    -   3. Plants of the new Sedum have darker colored flowers than        plants of the cultivar Munstead Dark Red.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of the male parent,the cultivar Carmen. Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of thecultivar Carmen in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum are more freely branching than plants        of the cultivar Carmen.    -   2. Plants of the new Sedum have more freely branching        inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Carmen.    -   3. Plants of the new Sedum and the cultivar Carmen differ in        flower color as plants of the cultivar Carmen have pink-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Sedum can also be compared to plants of the Sedumtelephinum cultivar Lajos, disclosed in U.S. Plant. Pat. No. 14,421. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the newSedum differed from plants of the cultivar Lajos in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum were more compact than plants of the        cultivar Lajos.    -   2. Plants of the new Sedum and the cultivar Lajos differed in        leaf coloration as plants of the Lajos had variegated leaves.    -   3. Plants of the new Sedum and the cultivar Lajos differed in        flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Sedum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Garbro’ grown in a 10-cmcontainer.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Garbro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photographs and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditionsduring the summer in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. for abouttwelve weeks in 10-cm containers. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 18 to 35° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 10 to 21° C.

-   Botanical classification: Sedum telephium×Sedum spectabile cultivar    Garbro.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Sedum telephium cultivar Munstead Dark Red,            not patented.        -   Male parent.—Sedum spectabile cultivar Carmen, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 20 days at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright plant form. Freely branching, about eight or            nine lateral branches per plant; vigorous growth habit.            Numerous single flowers arranged in terminal and axillary            panicles.        -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 20 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter:            About 1.5 cm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;            succulent. Color: 187D.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 8.8 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape:            Elliptical to linear. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate;            clasping. Margin: Irregularly serrate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate;            arcuate. Color: Developing foliage, upper and lower            surfaces: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A;            venation, 187C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B;            venation, 185B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Small single star-shaped            flowers arranged in terminal and axillary panicles; panicles            roughly hemispherical. Flowers face mostly upright. Freely            flowering, about 200 open flowers and flower buds per            lateral branch.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous from August            through October in Southern California.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual last about two            weeks on the plant. Flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 157A; towards the apex, 182C.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 12.5 cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 8 mm. Depth (height): About 6 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five, fused at base. Length: About            4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper            surface: 186D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Towards the apex, 186C; towards the base, 157A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base;            star-shaped. Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Sepal shape: Elliptic. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal color,            upper and lower surfaces: 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal panicles: About 2.3 cm. Length,            axillary panicles: About 1.8 cm. Diameter, terminal            panicles: About 4 mm. Diameter, axillary panicles: About            3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect,            terminal panicles: Mostly erect. Aspect, axillary panicles:            About 50 to 60° from the stem axis. Color: 183A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: About            45° from the stem axis. Color: 148A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per            flower/arrangement: Two; much reduced; situated at base of            carpels. Anther shape: Rounded. Anther length: Less than            1 mm. Anther color: 10C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: 10C. Pistils: Carpels: Five per flower; prominent;            fused at the base; star-shaped. Carpel texture: Succulent.            Carpel color: 183C to 183D. Stigma shape: Rounded; minute.            Stigma color: 158A. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color:            183C. Ovary color: 183C to 183D; color becoming closer to            200B with development.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum have not been noted    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Sedum.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Sedum have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures from −10 to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sedum plant named ‘Garbro’, asillustrated and described.